Within Reach
by ghostgirl19
Summary: "It's just that I have the power to! Knowing that I'm within reach of her, I can almost touch her outstretched hand..." she trailed off, voice dropping to a whisper. "I need to see her again." *Creds to lovethatignites for the picture!


"You're not going to take my powers," Emma growled.

Andi paused, sneaking a look at her best friend. She had never growled before, she was usually nice and sweet. What was going on?

"You're abusing your magic. At this rate you're going to end up like Torres, and we don't need that again," Desdemona spoke. "You're not fit to be the Chosen One."

"Why is everyone comparing me to the Principal?!" Emma exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "I'm _nothing_ like her! You're not going to take away my powers, I won't let you." Her eyes narrowed, body slightly hunched over as if poised to strike.

"Emma, please, stop! They're right, you're abusing your powers. But maybe we can-" Andi tried but Emma interruped.

"You're taking _their_ side?! Hmph, some best friend you are! I'm out of here, and if any of you bother me again, then you'll face the consequences," Emma threatened. She cast a spell, and she disappeared from the room. However, everyone knew where she ended up.

"This is getting out of hand," Agamemnon muttered, starting to pace. "Lily, you said you were going to get through to her!"

"I-I tried!" Lily stuttered. "She's so stubborn! Emma is usually so nice, I don't know where this cocky attitude came from..."

"Perhaps she's always been like this, but has just been hiding it from us all this time," Desdemona suggested.

"No! I know Emma, something's just bothering her," Andi said, frowning.

"Bothering her? We can't have a Chosen One that will suddenly snap if something is just _bothering her_ ," Agamemnon mocked.

"Wait," Lily interrupted, raising a hand. "I think I might know someone who may get through to her."

"If I, Agamemnon, you, or even her best friend can't get through to the Chosen One, then who can?!" Desdemona cried out.

"A certain wizard that you know all too well," Lily grinned.

"Mister Novoa?!" Agamemnon shrieked. "He's a former delinquent! Have you forgotten that he almost destroyed the entire Realm?!"

"No, but he has changed," the school nurse smiled. "Ironically, it was all for Emma. He knows what Emma's thinking, that she's invincible. Who better to talk to her than the person who once had that same mindset?"

"I don't know," Agamemnon mumbled.

"And it doesn't hurt that they're dating." A corner of Lily's mouth turned up. "Right now he's the only person she hasn't been abusing. I know she'll listen to him."

"Well...it wouldn't hurt to try," Desdemona decided. "After all, I wouldn't want to help take away Maria's daughter's powers. Yes, I wanted to do it before, but none of you saw the pain in my eyes..." she trailed off, thinking of her former friend. Yes, it would kill her inside if she had to hurt Maria's daughter in any way.

"And we do need a Chosen One to protect the Realm," Agamemnon spoke. "Up until this point she's been doing a good job. Let's bring him here. Miss Cruz, you may go."

"Hey, but-"

The girl's protest was cut off as she was sent to her class.

With another wave of his hand, Agamemnon brought the previously discussed boy to the room.

"Carry the one and you have..." Jax stopped, looking around at his new surroundings. This wasn't his Algebra 2 class.

"You do realize that you tele-transported me here with a whole classroom watching?" the wizard deadpanned.

"It's all taken care of," Agamemnon waved a hand in dismissal. "However, the Chosen One isn't."

Jax's eyebrows lowered. "What's wrong with Emma?" His voice had taken on a protective tone.

"She's abusing her powers," Desdemona replied, frowning. "She's out of control."

"What do you mean 'out of control'?"

"She's been casting spells left and right," Agamemnon answered. "She manipulated time multiple times. We were going to take away her powers but she tele-transported out of here."

"Wait. You were going to take her powers?" His eyes narrowed into a fierce glare, teeth clenched.

"Jax, please. We need your help," Lily spoke softly.

At the familiar comforting voice, his shoulders relaxed, hands loosening from their tight fists.

"Emma can't keep abusing her magic like this, it's dangerous to humans and witches. She's become so cocky lately, she's not listening to anyone. We're worried about her," Lily continued. "We don't want to take her powers, but if she keeps this up-"

"She might turn into the Principal," Jax finished, monotonously. "Do you really think she's capable of that?"

His Em, his sweet, innocent Emma. She could never be evil, she cared too much about everyone.

"We don't know," Lily sighed. "We were hoping that you could talk some sense into her. You were like that once, casting spells all over the place, anything to get what you want."

"Oh, do we remember," Agamemnon moaned, rolling his eyes.

Jax smirked wickedly, remembering his days as a rebel. It softened into a small smile at the reason of why those days were in the past.

"Please, talk to her, she'll listen to you," Lily begged. "We don't want to take her powers away, believe me."

The wizard looked at the ground, then back at the three Council members. He once saved Emma from having her powers taken away from her and he'd gladly do it again.

"I'll talk to her."

...

Jax tele-transported to Emma's house after school, knowing that if he appeared inside her house it would scare her. As much fun as it was, he couldn't afford for her to be even slightly annoyed with him.

He rang the doorbell, listening as her soft feet padded towards the door.

"Jax!" Emma beamed.

He smiled, "hey, Em. Mind if I come in?"

"Of course not!" She smiled, giving him room to walk in. "I've just been looking in the Hex for a time manipulation spell, I might be able to see my mom again!"

"That's great, Em," he smiled sadly. Of course he wanted her to be happy, but even he knew of the dangers of messing with time.

"I think I'm close," Emma bit her lip, containing her excitement. Her eyes were greedily drinking in the words on the hand-written pages.

"Emma, we need to talk," Jax said, reaching across the table to take her hand in his own.

"Is it about your mom?" She asked quietly, eyes filled with concern.

This wasn't the Emma the Council told him about. Although she wanted to mess with time, she wasn't being cocky about it. She definitely wasn't acting like a principal hell-bent on enacting revenge and being evil. Still, he had to trust the Council's word.

"No, it isn't about my mum...it's about you."

"Are...are you breaking up with me?" Her voice cracked at the end, eyes filling with tears. "I told you that there's nothing going on with Daniel, I'm over him! I chose you, I care about _you_!"

His eyes widened as he quickly backpedaled. "No, no, no! Em, I could never break up with you; I love you too much to ever let you go."

Emma smiled in relief, cheeks flushing at his last words.

Jax sighed. "Emma, the Council told me about your recent spell-casting..."

"Since when are you on the Council's side?" She snapped, her attitude doing a complete 180.

To say he was surprised at her quick attitude change would be an understatement. He knew he had to tread lightly.

"I'm not on their side. There are no 'sides', Em. They're just worried about you... _I'm w_ orried about you."

"Everyone's _worried_ about me," she mocked, standing from her seat to walk to the living room. "Everyone just needs to mind their own business and stop being so obsessed with me!"

Jax glared at her retreating form, growling low in his throat in anger. He'd be damned if he was dating another Regina George. He left that lifestyle in Australia and that's where it would stay.

"Listen to me, Emma," he went after her, sitting next to her on the sofa. "They're just concerned that you might be casting spells too much. You're putting yourself, humans, and even other witches in danger."

"How?!" She demanded, eyebrows lowered in anger. "What does it matter to everyone else if I want to see my mother again?!" Her eyes were beginning to burn from unshed tears.

"It _does_ matter to everyone. I want you to be happy, but I also want you to be safe. Messing with time is dangerous, Em. Some boundaries aren't meant to be broken."

"Who are you to be talking of not breaking any boundaries?" Emma retorted. "Last time I checked, _you're_ the one who almost destroyed the Magic Realm!"

That one cut deep, and they both knew it.

Jax held in a breath, leaning back in the seat.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, no. You're right, Emma." He took her hand, staring into her eyes. "I did try to destroy the Realm, once I tried to persuade you to break all the boundaries. But that was the old, rebel me. I gave up that lifestyle. I used to believe that I was invicible, that I could cast any spell wherever and whenever I wanted to."

Emma stared into his brown eyes, listening to what he was saying.

"However, you made me change." His lips formed a tiny smile. "You made me see that rules are in place for a reason, that there are consequences if you break them. Now, I'm not strict with rules now, you know I still like to have fun." He gave his girlfriend a playful wink.

Emma giggled at the sight of it, she always loved his playful mischief.

"You made me a better wizard, and I want to do the same with you," Jax continued. "You need to be in control with your spells. I don't want you becoming over-confident like I once was. I don't want you to turn into the wizard I was."

The witch released a breath, her eyes cast down. "I know. But I just want to be powerful, I want to be able to do anything!"

"You can," he smiled. "Just don't do it excessively. Don't put others in danger, don't brag. Because then it's just showing off and being stupid. Trust me, I know," he grinned.

"I never thought you were being stupid," she replied softly, gliding her knuckles lovingly against his cheek. "It's just that I want to see my mother again. I wasn't lying when I said I was jealous of you, Jax. I'm happy for you, beyond happy. But I can't help but envy that you have your mother back while I don't. I know many people lose their moms early, but I need to see mine. Even if it's just a flashback...if I didn't have those pictures of her then I would forget what she even looked like."

Jax held her close as her tears began to fall, her face pressed against his shoulder. Her sobs felt like knives stabbing him. In an attempt to comfort her, he slowly rubbed his hand along her back, whispering 'it's okay' in her ear.

"I don't want to be selfish," she mumbled against his shirt.

"You're not selfish," the wizard denied. "That's the last thing you are."

"Is it wrong of me to want to see her again?"

"No," he replied, "it's not." His fingers became lost in her chocolate curls. "Everyone wants to see their mother again."

Emma pulled back, wiping the tear tracks away with her fingers. She sniffled. "It's just that I have the power to! Knowing that I'm within reach of her, I can almost touch her outstretched hand..." she trailed off, voice dropping to a whisper. "I need to see her again."

Jax pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Maybe we could talk to the Council, if you told them what you just told me, then I'm sure they'll let you do this just this one time."

"What if they don't?" She mumbled.

"Then I'll help you," he vowed.

 **A/N: So this came into my head after tonight's episode. I honestly don't know what to think of it...I'll have to rely on your reviews ;)**


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